Determining Website Design Pricing
As a web design firm, “How much does a website cost?” is one of the most difficult, yet the most frequent question we are asked. Our most common response is “Well, that depends…” To get a handle on web design pricing you need to have a clear understanding of the clients goals. The goals will tell you about specific functional and technical requirements, which are often the major expenses when developing a website.
To get a basic idea of pricing you also need to consider the source. Are you working with a freelancer who is going to be responsible for the design and the development or are you hiring an agency with a team at your disposal? Listed below are some ranges for several potential resources for completing your web design project:
Average Hourly Rates:
Student/Offshore: – /hour. Working with students or overseas development companies can be great for saving money. However, there are also a few drawbacks to consider; inexperience, lack of clear and timely communication and limited expertise in all facets of the process can all be contributing factors to a project “jumping the tracks” or worse yet, never being completed. If you opt to go this route, manage your team very closely with daily goals/deliverables. Make sure that you’re very specific in what you’re looking for. Provide examples and very clear, easy to understand documentation.
Freelancer: – 0/hour. Freelancers are one of the most common sources for web design because of their prevalence and lower cost. One of the major advantages of working with a freelancer is that you’re working directly with the person doing the actual work, so they’re able to carry out your vision exactly as you see it. The most common downside to working with a freelancer is that you’re usually hiring someone who is very good at a specific part of the process and not as strong in the other areas. I’ve never met a great designer who’s also a great coder, or vice versa. If they do happen to have all the pieces of the puzzle, they’re usually mediocre at all of them. Ideally, you want a couple of freelancers who are each very good at their specific roles and are excellent communicators.
Professional Firm: – 0/hour. Working with a professional web design firm (or agency) can often be an intimidating process and a tough bill to swallow. The advantages when working with a reputable firm are many; You’re getting experts in every aspect of the process, which often improves the quality of the finished product across the board; You have a professional project manager to help you plan and schedule your project; You can focus on your vision and goals and let the agency recommend the technical details; You have a partner who is up to date on web standards, best practices and has years of experience executing projects just like yours.
This isn’t to say that there aren’t downsides to working with web design firms. You need to be careful to choose an honest, reputable firm that is able to communicate what they’re doing clearly, so you know what you’re paying for. Your contact at the agency should be easy to reach, and easy to talk with. They should be willing to “push back” if they have expert advice but at the same time, they work for you and are there to execute your vision. You might run across significant egos when working with some of the higher-end agencies, and could potentially be billed for every meeting or conversation. Be careful to understand exactly how they bill, and who they bill for. Make sure that you do your homework. Do a Google search for good/bad reviews on the company, talk to their references and look at their portfolio.
One of the key ingredients for getting back accurate web design pricing is to create a comprehensive Request for Proposal (or RFP). This should clearly outline your goals, limitations, short and long term vision, technical dependencies, expectations and timeframes. If your project is large and/or complex, you should really consider hiring a reputable consultant that can help guide you through the process of putting together your specifications and finding the right resources to carry out your project.
Here is a basic idea of what different types of sites might cost. Keep in mind that there are many factors that effect pricing and an accurate price cannot be determined without accurate, detailed information about your specific needs:
Small Informational Site or Blog: These types of sites work best for individuals or very small businesses that just need a web presence. Usually there is very little functionality beyond a contact page and newsletter sign-up. Ranges: ,000-,000+
Custom designed and integrated into a Content Management Solution (CMS): Custom designed websites do a better job establishing your brand and specific needs. Working with templates can help you get started on a limited budget but usually have to be shoehorned to fit your business. In addition, you risk running into a lot of other sites online that look eerily similar to yours. The price range is dependent upon how many unique page designs are needed and how many features will be implemented. The benefit of a user-friendly CMS is that with a little training anyone can do the updating and maintenance of your website content. Ranges: ,000-,000+.
Custom design, CMS, shopping cart, and some interactive media integration: Like the website above, this website could also include ecommerce functionality like a shopping cart. Keep in mind, that depending on how many products you have, the development shop could spend hours putting your products into the site. Do you want a lower price? Ask the agency to show you how to put the products into the cart and have someone on your team do the job. Some media integration could include video players or interactive Flash pieces. It is best to clearly explain your idea to the agency, get their opinion and they should be able to give you an accurate quote. Range: ,000-,000+
Fully Custom Website and Application: Are you trying to build the next eBay (from scratch)? Do you have the next “killer app” that’s going to make a billion dollars? Great! Make sure that you provide very detailed goals and functionality specifications so the firm that you’re talking to understands the full scope of what they’re bidding on. If you can imagine it, it can most likely be developed, but you’ll definitely need to have a budget ready for the task. Range: ,000-M+
Web design pricing can be a difficult thing to lock down. To really be able to get accurate pricing there is nothing more important than being clear in communicating your goals and needs and making sure that the people or agencies you’re speaking with all understand what they’re bidding on. Another thing to keep in mind is the old adage “you get what you pay for”. If you’re just starting out and don’t have an adequate budget, don’t feel bad about having a less expensive solution. As your company grows, it will be easier to invest the funds necessary to upgrade and update your website. With the rapid changes in technology, screen resolution and web standards, the industry average for re-designing your website is about every 3-4 years.
Austin Web Design firm that specializes in Web site design and development, application programming, interactive design and search engine optimization. The company was founded in 2003 with a vision of providing high caliber design and development services without the agency “dog and pony show”. For more information: http://www.sitegoals.com
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